Another Mullins second string picks up pieces after Facile flop

WILLIE MULLINS cemented his Grade 1 domination at Leopardstown in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle, but not for the first time this weekend it was his second string who took the honours as Il Etait Temps capitalised on a lacklustre display by 4-9 favourite Facile Vega, winning impressively under Danny Mullins at odds of 14-1.

Facile Vega and High Definition seemed to set a brisk pace early on before the latter unseated rider JJ Slevin at the fourth hurdle. The winner was well positioned in the early parts of the contest when racing in third and loomed up with intent at the bypassed second-last before sealing the race with a soaring leap at the final flight and going on to score by nine and a half lengths. Facile Vega seemed to empty quickly once passed and was last of the five finishers.

Il Etait Temps had previously finished four lengths behind Facile Vega in the Future Champions Novice Hurdle over course and distance at Christmas, while he was fifth as a juvenile in last season’s Triumph Hurdle, and Willie

Mullins feels the improvement in the five-year-old’s jumping has worked the oracle.

The champion trainer said: “His work has always been good and his runs have always been good, but he just didn’t put his jumping together and even today he made a mistake early on. Danny said when he pulled him out going down the back that he just started to jump, so maybe the penny has dropped. He’s a good horse.”

Mullins attributed Facile Vega’s undoing to the frantic early pace, noting that tactics will likely be tweaked on last year’s Champion Bumper winner going into Cheltenham.

He said: “They were just going too fast, everyone could see they were going too fast. Paul [Townend] will have to ride him like a racehorse in the future, today he rode him like a machine. We tried, it didn’t work and we go back to plan A.”

This was Danny Mullins’ third Grade 1 winner of the weekend and his trainer spoke glowingly of his exploits.

He said: “Danny is fantastic as a second jockey. He has ridden three Grade 1 winners now this weekend and that is a lifetime achievement for a lot of people. Danny is able to read situations in a race and play to it.”

The result has shaken up the betting for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Facile Vega drifted to 5-1 (from 5-6) with Betfair, while Il Etait Temps has been priced at 8-1 (from 14).

Townend felt that it was more than just the hotly contested pace that caused Facile Vega to disappoint. He said: “It was too bad to be true – he was beaten too far for it to be right. He overraced a bit, but I don’t think the distance I’m beaten is a reflection of how much he overraced so we’ll just have to see what comes to light.”

Henry de Bromhead’s Inthepocket stayed on to pick up second place, while Mullins was also pleased to see Dark Raven come home in third, the trainer saying he “ran a cracker”.